Meetings Coverage and Press Releases

Economic and Social Council

ECOSOC/6546

Ministerial Meeting Stresses Role of Economic and Social Council as Central Plank of Renewed Multilateralism as It Seeks to Meet Sustainable Development Challenges

Government ministers and other high officials from around the globe meeting in New York committed themselves to strengthening the United Nations Economic and Social Council, in order to engender more coherent multilateral action to face the daunting challenges of sustainable development, at a Special Ministerial Meeting of that body this afternoon and evening.

Press Conference on Economic and Social Council Ministerial Meeting

The United Nations needed to regain relevance to rise to the twenty-first century’s new challenges, including the recent food and financial crises, the Senior Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council told reporters today at Headquarters, as he announced a special ministerial meeting on sustainable development — “Building the Future We Want” — to be held here on 24 September.
ECOSOC/6545

Concluding 2012 Substantive Session, Economic and Social Council Adopts Texts on Conference Follow-up, Least Developed Countries, Human Settlements

The Economic and Social Council wrapped up its 2012 substantive session today with the adoption of nine resolutions and five decisions on a range of topics — from women’s empowerment to human settlements and support for least developed countries — that would allow the 54-member body to assume its rightful place as the hub of coordinated action in setting the post-2015 development agenda.
ECOSOC/6544

On Penultimate Day of Substantive Session, Economic and Social Council Adopts Texts on Social, Human Rights Issues Submitted by Subsidiary Bodies

Touching on issues ranging from drug control to the challenges faced by indigenous youth, to post-earthquake recovery in Haiti and the critical role of the family, the Economic and Social Council today adopted 18 texts forwarded by its subsidiary bodies, as well as four independently submitted resolutions, while deciding to recommend five additional texts to the General Assembly for final adoption.
ECOSOC/6543

Economic and Social Council Continues General Segment, Takes up Matters Regarding Decolonization, Regional Cooperation, Environment

Continuing its general segment, the Economic and Social Council today took up a host of issues, including implementation of the Declaration on Decolonization, regional cooperation and socioeconomic challenges in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Council’s busy day also included the adoption of recommendations on economic and environmental questions. It also adopted five decisions, including one on statistics, three on population and development, and another on cartography.

ECOSOC/6542

While Making Measured Progress, Least Developed Countries Still Need Help Building Productive Capacities, High Representative Tells Economic and Social Council

A prosperous future for the world’s 48 poorest nations hinged on continued support for building their productive capacities, improving their access to technology and integrating into their national development plans the Istanbul Programme of Action, which aimed to see at least half of those countries graduate from their “least developed” status by 2030, the Economic and Social Council heard today, as it examined those challenges with a focus on Haiti and South Sudan.
ECOSOC/6541

Millennium Development Goals ‘Galvanizing but Too Narrow’ Economic and Social Council Told as Speakers Urge ‘Transformative’ Post-2015 Development Agenda

Launching the General Segment and final week of its 2012 session, the Economic and Social Council today addressed a variety of topics, including issues related to development and programme coordination — ranging from principles to guide a post-2015 development strategy to the work of United Nations-accredited non-governmental organizations.
ECOSOC/6540

Economic and Social Council Adopts Text on Strengthening Humanitarian Assistance; Data Collection, Decision-Making, Partnerships, Funding among Issues Highlighted

Expressing grave concern at the increasing number of people affected by humanitarian emergencies, the Economic and Social Council today pressed the United Nations and Member States — by a consensus resolution — to bolster partnerships and further develop common mechanisms to assess the needs of the affected communities in order to ensure the effective use of resources, as it concluded its three-day humanitarian affairs segment.
ECOSOC/6539

Economic and Social Council Panel on Evidence-Based, Timely Humanitarian Decision-Making Spotlights ‘Enormous Potential’ of Facebook, Twitter, Cell Phone Data

Reaching people most in need during complex crises — sparked by conflict, extreme weather or natural disaster — required humanitarian actors to better use, validate and share information from a range of sources throughout the programming cycle, the Economic and Social Council heard today during a dynamic panel discussion on improving the capacities of evidence-based humanitarian decision-making.
ECOSOC/6538

Addressing Economic and Social Council, Emergency Relief Coordinator Stresses Need for Sound Decision-Making, Broader Partnerships for Humanitarian Response

Basing humanitarian responses on reliable data and tapping the expertise of local partners were vital to bringing relief aid to areas and communities in need, top United Nations officials said this afternoon, as the Economic and Social Council began its humanitarian affairs segment. “To make the best use of resources for humanitarian response, decision-making must be based on evidence from reliable data,” said Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.